Environment friendly composite construction materials

ABSTRACT

Disclosed are a system, a method and/or composition of environment friendly composite construction material. In one aspect, a method includes providing a mixture of a pozzolanic material and/or a kaolin clay with an activator solution to form an alumino-silicate cementitious material through a resulting geo-polymerization process. The alumino-silicate cementitious material is in the form of a paste. The method also includes processing the alumino-silicate cementitious material to transform the alumino-silicate cementitious material that is in the form of the paste to a form of a powder of the alumino-silicate cementitious material. The method further includes mixing the alumino-silicate cementitious material which is in the form of the powder with water to control a workability of the alumino-silicate cementitious material. Furthermore the method includes combining a mixture of the alumino-silicate cementitious material and water with a coarse aggregate, a fine aggregate and/or a plasticizer to form a composite construction material.

CLAIM OF PRIORITY

This application is a divisional application of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 13/208,363 titled ENVIRONMENT FRIENDLY COMPOSITE CONSTRUCTIONMATERIALS filed on Aug. 12, 2011.

FIELD OF TECHNOLOGY

This disclosure relates generally to the technical fields of concreteand cement production and in particular to environment friendlycomposite construction material.

BACKGROUND

Concrete may be a composite construction material that may be used inbuilding. Concrete may be comprised of a mixture of cement paste, sandand aggregates. The cement paste may comprise cement and water. Thecement may be Ordinary Portland Cement, a type of cement made out of rawmaterial such as limestone. The manufacturing of Ordinary PortlandCement produces more than 13 billion tons of carbon dioxide every year.This carbon dioxide emission is equivalent to 7% of the total globalemission of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. This carbon dioxideemission may lead to environmental problems such as global warming andthe greenhouse effect.

SUMMARY

Disclosed are a system, a method and/or a composition of environmentfriendly composite construction material. In one aspect, a methodincludes providing a mixture of a pozzolanic material and/or a kaolinclay with an activator solution to form an alumino-silicate cementitiousmaterial through a resulting geo-polymerization process. Thealumino-silicate cementitious material is in the form of a paste. Themethod also includes processing the alumino-silicate cementitiousmaterial to transform the alumino-silicate cementitious material that isin the form of the paste to a form of a powder of the alumino-silicatecementitious material. The method further includes mixing thealumino-silicate cementitious material which is in the form of thepowder with water to control a workability of the alumino-silicatecementitious material. Furthermore the method includes combining amixture of the alumino-silicate cementitious material and water with acoarse aggregate, a fine aggregate and/or a plasticizer to form acomposite construction material. The composite construction material isconcrete. The method of forming the composite construction material isfree of carbon dioxide emission associated with the formation of thecomposite construction material.

The method further includes forming the activator solution throughmixing a dry ingredient with an alkali hydroxide solution. The dryingredient may be sodium silicate. The ratio of sodium silicate to thealkali hydroxide solution in the activator solution may be 0.5 to 3.5.The method also includes adjusting a concentration of the alkalihyroxide solution through diluting the alkali hydroxide solution withwater. The pozzolanic material may be a fly ash. The activator solutionis an alkali hyrdroxide. The alkali hydroxide is sodium hydroxide. Theweight of the mixture of the pozzolanic material and the kaolin claythat is used to form the alumino-silicate cementitious material mayrange between 350 kilograms and 400 kilograms. The weight of the sodiumhyroxide that is used to form the alumino-silicate cementitious materialmay range between 30 kilograms and 60 kilograms. The weight of thesodium silicate that is used to form the alumino-silicate cementitiousmaterial may range between 100 kilograms and 150 kilograms. The weightof the fine aggregate used to form the concrete may range between 500kilograms and 600 kilograms. The weight of the coarse aggregate used toform the concrete may range between 1200 kilograms and 1400 kilograms.The weight of the water used to form the concrete may range between 60kilograms and 400 kilograms.

The method of processing the alumino-silicate cementitious material totransform the alumino-silicate cementitious material that is in the formof the paste to a form of a powder of the alumino-silicate cementitiousmaterial, further includes drying the alumino-silicate cementitiousmaterial that is in the form of a paste at a temperature ranging between40C and 100 C through a normal drying process. The method also includesreducing the dried alumino-silicate cementitious material to the powderform through at least one of a grinding and pulverizing the driedalumino-silicate cementitious material when the alumino-silicatecementitious material is dried through a normal drying process at atemperature ranging between 40 C and 100 C.

The method of processing the alumino-silicate cementitious material totransform the alumino-silicate cementitious material that is in the formof the paste to a form of a powder of the alumino-silicate cementitiousmaterial, further includes spray drying the alumino silicatecementitious material that is in the form of a paste to transform thealumino silicate cementitious material that is in the form of the pasteto the form of the powder. The method of spray drying further includesspraying the alumino silicate cementitious material that is in the formof a paste through a nozzle into an environment that has at atemperature ranging between 40 C and 100 C to transform the aluminosilicate cementitious material that is in the form of a paste to theform of powder. The environment that has at a temperature rangingbetween 40 C and 100 C to which the alumino silicate cementitiousmaterial is sprayed to dry the sprayed alumino silicate cementitiousmaterial.

The method further includes curing the composite construction materialthrough at least one of a curing process at a room temperature and aheat curing at a temperature ranging between 40 C and 120 C. The methodalso includes increasing a resistance of the composite constructionmaterial to an acidic environment through mixing the alkali hydroxide asactivator with the pozzolanic material to form a crystalline aluminosilicate cementitious material that is used to produce the compositeconstruction material. The density of the composite constructionmaterial formed from the powdered alumino silicate cementitious materialthat is transformed to the form of powder through at least one of thespray drying and the normal drying the paste form of the aluminosilicate cementitious material is based on the plasticizer that is addedto the alumino silicate cementitious material to form the compositeconstruction material. The koalin clay may reinforce the strength of thecomposite construction material. The fine aggregates and/or coarseaggregates may increase a compressive strength of the concrete.

In another aspect, a cement composition may include an alumino-silicatecementitious material that is formed through mixing a pozzolanicmaterial, kaolin clay and sodium silicate in a dried and pulverized formin a solution of alkali hydroxide to form the alumino-silicatecementitious material through a process of geo-polymerization resultingfrom mixing the pozzolanic material, kaolin clay and sodium silicate ina dried and pulverized form in a solution of alkali hydroxide. Thealumino-silicate cementitious material that is in the form of a paste isprocessed to transform the alumino-silicate cementitious material thatis in the form of a paste to a form of a powder. The composition furtherincludes water mixed with the alumino-silicate cementitious materialthat is in the form of a powder to control a workability of thealumino-silicate cementitious material.

The composition also includes a fine aggregate to increase a compressivestrength of the composite construction material when mixed with themixture of alumino-silicate cementitious material and water. Thecomposition further includes a coarse aggregate to increase acompressive strength of the composite construction material when mixedwith the mixture of alumino-silicate cementitious material and water.

In yet another aspect, a method includes providing a mixture of at leastone of a pozzolanic material and a kaolin clay with an activatorsolution to form an alumino-silicate cementitious material through aresulting geo-polymerization process. The alumino-silicate cementitiousmaterial is in the form of a paste. The method also includes processingthe alumino-silicate cementitious material to transform thealumino-silicate cementitious material that is in the form of the pasteto a form of a powder of the alumino-silicate cementitious materialthrough a process of a spray drying. The method also includes mixing thealumino-silicate cementitious material which is in the form of thepowder with water to control a workability of the alumino-silicatecementitious material. The method further includes combining a mixtureof the alumino-silicate cementitious material and water with a coarseaggregate, a fine aggregate and/or a plasticizer to form a compositeconstruction material. In one embodiment, the composite constructionmaterial is concrete. In one embodiment, the said method of forming thecomposite construction material is free of carbon dioxide emissionassociated with the formation of the composite construction material.

In another aspect, a method includes providing a mixture of at least oneof a pozzolanic material and a kaolin clay with an activator solution toform an alumino-silicate cementitious material through a resultinggeo-polymerization process. In one embodiment, the alumino-silicatecementitious material is in the form of a paste. The method alsoincludes drying the alumino-silicate cementitious material that is inthe form of a paste at a temperature ranging between 40 C and 100 Cthrough a normal drying process. The method further includes reducingthe dried alumino-silicate cementitious material to the form of a powderof the alumino-silicate cementitious material through a grinding and/orpulverizing the dried alumino-silicate cementitious material when thealumino-silicate cementitious material is dried through a normal dryingprocess at a temperature ranging between 40 C and 100 C. The method alsoincludes mixing the alumino-silicate cementitious material which is inthe form of the powder with water to control a workability of thealumino-silicate cementitious material. The method further includescombining a mixture of the alumino-silicate cementitious material andwater with a coarse aggregate, a fine aggregate and/or a plasticizer toform a composite construction material. In one embodiment, the compositeconstruction material is concrete. In one embodiment, the method offorming the composite construction material is free of carbon dioxideemission associated with the formation of the composite constructionmaterial.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Example embodiments are illustrated by way of example and not limitationin the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which like referencesindicate similar elements and in which:

FIG. 1 is a flow diagram illustrating a method of producing compositeconstruction material, according to one or more embodiments.

FIG. 2 is a flow diagram illustrating a method of preparing the aluminosilicate cementitious material, according to one or more embodiments.

FIG. 3 is a graphical process flow diagram illustrating a method ofproducing composite construction material using normal drying process,according to one or more embodiments.

FIG. 4 is a graphical process flow diagram illustrating a method ofproducing composite construction material using spray-drying, accordingto one or more embodiments.

FIG. 5 is a table view illustrating the amount of materials forproducing a block of composite construction material, according to oneor more embodiments.

FIG. 6 is a table illustrating the mechanical and physical properties ofthe composite construction materials, according to one or moreembodiments.

FIG. 7 is a process flow diagram illustrating a method of producingcomposite construction material, according to one or more embodiments.

FIG. 8 is a process flow diagram illustrating a method of producingcomposite construction material using a spray drying process, accordingto one or more embodiments.

FIG. 9 is a process flow diagram illustrating a method of producingcomposite construction material using a normal drying process, accordingto one or more embodiment.

Other features of the present embodiments will be apparent from theaccompanying drawings and from the detailed description that follows.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Disclosed are a system, a method and/or a composition of environmentfriendly composite construction material. It will be appreciated thatthe various embodiments discussed herein need not necessary belong tothe same group of exemplary embodiments; and may be grouped into variousother embodiments not explicitly disclosed herein. In the followingdescription, for the purpose of explanation, numerous specific detailsare set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of variousembodiments.

FIG. 1 is a flow diagram illustrating a method of producing a compositeconstruction material, according to one or more embodiments. In one ormore embodiments, in operation 102 an alumino silicate cementitiousmaterial may be prepared. In one embodiment, the alumino silicatecementitious material may be a geo-polymer cement. In one embodiment,the alumino silicate cementitious material may be prepared beforeforming the composite construction material. In one embodiment, thealumino silicate cementitious material may be prepared at a differentlocation and then brought to the location of preparing the compositeconstruction material. In one embodiment, the preparation of the aluminosilicate cementitious material may be an environmentally friendlyprocess. In one embodiment, the environmentally friendly process ofpreparing the alumino silicate cementitious material may be free ofcarbon dioxide (CO2) emission. In one embodiment, the alumino silicatecementitious material may be in the form of a paste. In one embodiment,the alumino silicate cementitious material that is in the form of apaste may be prepared through mixing a pozzolanic material with anactivator as shown in FIG. 2.

Now refer to FIG. 2. FIG. 2 is a flow diagram illustrating a method ofpreparing the alumino silicate cementitious material, according to oneor more embodiments. In one or more embodiments, a mixture of sodiumsilicate, alkali hydroxide, pozzolanic material and clay may be preparedas a process of forming the alumino silicate cementitious material. Inone or more embodiments, an alkali hyroxide solution may be prepared inoperation 202. In one embodiment, the alkali hydroxide solution may bethe activator. In one embodiment, the alkali hydroxide solution may be asodium hydroxide solution.

In one or more embodiments, alkali hydroxide may be composed of analkali metal cation and the hydroxide anion. In an example embodiment,the alkali hydroxide may be Lithium hydroxide (LiOH), Sodium hydroxide(NaOH), Potassium hydroxide (KOH), Rubidium hydroxide (RbOH) and/orCaesium hydroxide (CsOH). In one embodiment, the alkali hydroxide may beused in powder form. In one embodiment, the alkali hydroxide may also beused in liquid form, where it may be added after dry mixing of the otherconstituents and before the water is added. In one example embodiment,the alkali hydroxide may be at a concentration of 6.0 to 16.0moles/liter (M). In another example embodiment, the alkali hydroxide maybe at a concentration of 1.0 to 18.0 moles/liter (M). In one embodimenta concentration of the alkali hyroxide solution is adjusted throughdiluting the alkali hydroxide solution with water.

In one embodiment, the activator solution may be formed through mixing adry ingredient with an alkali hydroxide solution, such as in operation204. In one embodiment, the dry ingredient is sodium silicate and/orpotassium silicate. In a preferred embodiment, the dry ingredient issodium silicate. In one embodiment, the sodium silicate may be availablein an aqueous solution and/or in solid form. The sodium silicate mayincrease the force character and durability for cement as fast-dryingmaterial.

In one embodiment, the ratio of sodium silicate to the alkali hydroxidesolution in the activator solution is 0.5 to 3.5. In one embodiment,sodium silicate may be sodium metasilicate, Na₂SiO₃ Sodium metasilicatemay be in powder form and may easily be dissolved in water. Sodiummetasilicate be available in liquid or solid form. In one or moreembodiments, the sodium metasilicate may reduce the porosity of theconcrete that is eventually formed from the mixture.

In one embodiment, such as in operation 206 the mixture of a pozzolanicmaterial and clay may be added to the mixture of sodium silicate andsodium hyrdroxide. In one embodiment, the pozzolanic material, clay anda sodium silicate may be dissolved in a solution of alkali hydroxide. Inone or more embodiments, the pozzolanic material may be a material, thatwhen combined with an alkali hydroxide, exhibits cementitiousproperties. Pozzolanic materials may be commonly used as an addition tocement concrete mixtures to increase the long-term strength of theconcrete. In one or more embodiments, the pozzolanic material mayinclude a siliceous and/or aluminous chemical substance, and may behighly vitreous. For example, the pozzolanic material may include anatural pozzolanic mineral, a lava mineral, a basalt, a fly ash, a blastfurnace slag, a bottom ash, a recycled ash and a ground granulated blastfurnace slag, etc. In one or more embodiments, the clay may be a kaolin.Kaolin may be preferred because of its ability to reinforce the strengthof the concrete. In one or more embodiments, the ratio of the pozzolanicmaterial to the alkali hydroxide may range from 1.0 to 3.5.

In one embodiment, mixing the pozzolanic material, clay and theactivator solution may result in a geo-polymerization process, such asin operation 208. In one embodiment, said geo-polymerization may resultin formation of the alumino silicate cementitious material. In oneembodiment, the alumino silicate cementitious material may be in theform of a paste. In one or more embodiments, geo-polymerization may bethe process of polymerizing silica and alumina containing minerals usingalkali solvents. In a preferred embodiment, fly ash may be thepozzolanic material that is mixed along with alkali hydroxide, sodiumsilicate and clay to produce the alumino silicate cementitious material.Fly ash is a fine glass-like powder recovered from burning pulverizedcoal in electric power generating plants. In one embodiment, thereaction of silicon (Si) and aluminum (Al) content in fly ash underalkaline condition may form a three dimensional polymeric chain and ringstructure that consist of Si—O—Al—O bonds. In one embodiment, with morebonds of Si—O—Al—O, the polymer strength increases, thus making thealumino silicate cementitious material a suitable composition to be usedin producing the composite construction material (e., concrete). In oneembodiment, the alkali hydroxide and sodium silicate may have theability to disrupt the Si—O—Si bonds and produce hydrates of alkali-limealuminosilicates. Thus, the combination of fly ash and clay with alkalihydroxide and sodium silicate contributes to the enhancement ofmechanical properties of concretes, in one embodiment.

In one embodiment, the alumino silicate cementitious material that is inthe form of a paste may be changed to the form of a powder asillustrated in FIG. 1, FIG. 3 and FIG. 4.

Now refer back to FIG. 1. In one embodiment, in operation 104, thealumino silicate cementitious material that is in the form of a pastemay be dried using a normal drying process. In one embodiment, in thenormal drying process, the alumino silicate cementitious material thatis in the form of a paste may be dried at a temperature ranging from 40°to 100° Celsius (104° to 212° Fahrenheit). In one embodiment, themixture may only require heating to a temperature range of 40° to 100°Celsius (104° to 212° Fahrenheit) because the mixture may be producedout of waste elements such as fly ash and kaolin. In one embodiment, thedried alumino silicate cementitious material may be ground and/orpulverized by a grinder to form a fine dried powder of alumino silicatecementitious material from the alumino silicate cementitious materialthat is in the form of a paste that is dried through normal drying, suchas in operation 106. In one embodiment drying at temperature rangingfrom 40° to 100° Celsius (104° to 212° Fahrenheit) may consumesignificantly much less energy.

In one or more embodiments, such as in operation 108, the aluminosilicate cementitious material that is in the form of a paste may bedried by using a spray drying process. In one embodiment, a spray dryingprocess may be a method to convert a solution, suspension or emulsioninto a solid powder in one single process step. In one embodiment, aspray drying process may be used to obtain crystalline product. Thedried powder may be produced by spray drying the alumino silicatecementitious material that is in the form of a paste at temperaturebetween 40° and 100° Celsius (104° to 212° Fahrenheit). In oneembodiment, the spray drying process may include spraying the mixturethrough a nozzle into a high temperature vapor steam. In one embodiment,the liquid cement may be vaporized to form a plurality of droplets. Inone embodiment, the plurality of droplets may be dried to form a driedpowder, such as in operation 108.

In operation 110, a required amount of water may be added into the driedpowder to control a workability of the of the alumino-silicatecementitious material, in one embodiment. In one embodiment, the watermay be mixed with the dried powder in a ratio ranging from 0.35 to 0.65.In one embodiment, the alumino silicate cementitious material pasteformed through mixing the alumino silicate cementitious material in theform of powder with water may serve as a binder. In one embodiment, thebinder may be a substance that may set and harden independently and bindother components together. In one embodiment, the alumino silicatecementitious material may be mixed with aggregate materials and/orplasticizers to produce a composite construction material (e.g.,concrete), such as operation 112.

In one embodiment, the geo-polymer cement (e.g., alumino silicatecementitious material) paste may be mixed with one of sand, aggregate,plasticizer and/or nano additive to form the composite constructionmaterial (e.g., concrete), in operation 114. In one embodiment ofoperation 112, the geo-polymer cement (e.g., alumino silicatecementitious material) paste may be mixed with a coarse aggregate and/ora fine aggregate. In one embodiment, the aggregate may be a coarseparticulate material, such as sand, gravel, crushed stone, slag,recycled concrete and/or geo-synthetic aggregates. In one embodiment,the aggregate may reinforce the structure of the composite material andstrengthen the concrete (e.g., composite construction material). In oneembodiment of operation 114, the mixture of aggregate and/or plasticizerand the cement paste may form a concrete (e.g., composite constructionmaterial).

In one embodiment, the plasticizer may determine a density and/or weightof the composite construction material (e.g., concrete). In oneembodiment, a plasticizer may be an additive that increases the fluidityor plasticity of the concrete. The plasticizer may increase theworkability of the mix, or decrease the amount of water required toachieve the desired workability. In one embodiment, the plasticizer maybe manufactured from lignosulfanates. In one embodiment, the plasticizermay increase the strength of the concrete by decreasing the water tocement ratio. A light weight composite construction material (e.g.,concrete) may be formed by mixing the cement paste with the plasticizer.

The weight/or density of a concrete cube with a size of 100×100×100 mmmay be 1.8 kg to 2.4 kg when the concrete is produced from the aluminosilicate cementitious material through drying based on normal dryingand/or spray drying. In one embodiment, when plasticizer is added,weight/or density of a concrete cube with a size of 100×100×100 mm maybe 1.0 kg to 1.6 kg. In one embodiment, the concrete cube with a size of100×100×100 mm that weighs 1.0 kg to 1.6 kg may be considered a lightweight concrete material.

In one embodiment, a superplasticizer may be added to make a very lightweight concrete (e.g., composite construction material) withself-consolidating properties. A superplasticizer may be preferredbecause it may produce a concrete (e.g., composite constructionmaterial) with self-consolidating properties that enhances theperformance of the concrete. In one embodiment, the superplasticizersmay be linear polymers containing sulfonic acid groups attached to thepolymer backbone. In one embodiment, the superplasticizers may also beknown as high range water reducers. Superplasticizers may advantageouslyimprove paste fluidity with reduction in the amount of water consumedduring the preparation of the alumino silicate cementitious materialpaste. In one embodiment, superplasticizers may also increase theworkability of the composite construction material.

In one embodiment, the mixture of alumino silicate cementitious materialpaste, aggregates, plasticizer and/or superplasticizer may be cured atroom temperature and/or by heat curing at a temperature of 40° to 120°Celsius (104° to 248° Fahrenheit). In one embodiment, the compositeconstruction material may be cured through a curing process at a roomtemperature and/or a heat curing at a temperature ranging between 40 Cand 120 C, such as in operation 120. In one embodiment, a resistance ofthe composite construction material to an acidic environment may beincreased through mixing the alkali hydroxide as activator with thepozzolanic material to form a crystalline alumino silicate cementitiousmaterial that is used to produce the composite construction material.

Now refer to FIG. 3 and FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a graphical process flowdiagram illustrating a method of producing composite constructionmaterial using normal drying process, according to one or moreembodiments. In one embodiment, alkali hydroxide 302 solution that isdiluted with water to form the required concentration may be mixed withsodium silicate 304 to form the activator solution 310. In oneembodiment, preparation of the activator solution 310 is carried out bypreparing an alkali hydroxide solution that has a concentration of 6 to16M by adding water to it. In one embodiment, sodium hydroxide may bethe preferred alkali hydroxide to be used. In one embodiment potassiumhydroxide may also be used. In another embodiment, the concentration ofthe alkali hydroxide is 1.0 to 18M. In said embodiment, water is addedto alkali hydroxide to produce an alkali hydroxide solution in thepreferred concentration. In one embodiment, sodium hydroxide and/orpotassium hydroxide may be used, with sodium hydroxide being the alkalihydroxide in a preferred embodiment. In one embodiment, sodium silicatemay then be added to alkali hydroxide in a ratio of 0.5 to 3.5.

In one embodiment, clay 308 and a pozzolanic material 306 may be mixedtogether to form a dried powder mixture. In one embodiment, the alkalihydroxide 302 may be one of Lithium hydroxide (LiOH), Sodium hydroxide(NaOH), Potassium hydroxide (KOH), Rubidium hydroxide (RbOH) and/orCaesium hydroxide (CsOH). In one or more embodiments, a sodium silicatemay be sodium metasilicate, Na₂SiO₃. In one or more embodiments, theclay 308 may be a kaolin clay. In one or more embodiments, thepozzolanic material 306 may include a siliceous and/or aluminouschemical substance, and may be highly vitreous. In an exampleembodiment, the pozzolanic material 306 may include a natural pozzolanicmineral, a lava mineral, a basalt, a fly ash, a blast furnace slag, abottom ash, a recycled ash and a ground granulated blast furnace slag,etc. In one or more embodiments, the ratio of the pozzolanic material306 to the alkali hydroxide 302 may range from 1.0 to 3.5. In oneembodiment, the dried powder mixture of clay 308 and a pozzolanicmaterial 306 may be mixed together with the activator solution 310 toform the alumino silicate cementitious material (e.g., geo-polymercement) in the form of a paste 314, such as in operation 312.

In one embodiment, the alumino silicate cementitious material (e.g.,geo-polymer cement) in the form of a paste 314 may be dried through anormal drying process to transform the alumino silicate cementitiousmaterial in the form of a powder 316. In one embodiment, in the normaldrying process, the alumino silicate cementitious material (e.g.,geo-polymer cement) in the form of a paste 314 may be dried at atemperature that ranges between 40° to 100° Celsius (104° to 212°Fahrenheit). In one embodiment, once the alumino silicate cementitiousmaterial (e.g., geo-polymer cement) in the form of a paste 314 is dried,the dried alumino silicate cementitious material (e.g., geo-polymercement) may be ground and/or pulverized to transform the aluminosilicate cementitious material in the form of a powder 316.

In one embodiment, a required amount of water 320 may be added to the totransform the alumino silicate cementitious material in the form of apowder 316 along with aggregates and/or plasticizers 318 to create acomposite construction material (e.g., concrete) through curing saidmixture at room temperature and/or by heat curing at a temperature of40° to 120° Celsius (104° to 248° Fahrenheit). In one or moreembodiments, the water 320 may be mixed with the alumino silicatecementitious material in the form of a powder 316 in a ratio rangingfrom 0.3 to 0.65. The cement (the alumino silicate cementitiousmaterial) paste formed through mixing the alumino silicate cementitiousmaterial in the form of a powder 316 with water 320 may serve as abinder, a substance that may set and harden independently and bind othercomponents together. The cement paste may then be mixed with anaggregate and/or plasticizer 318 to form the composite constructionmaterial 322 (e.g., concrete). In one embodiment, the aggregate may be acoarse particulate material, such as sand, gravel, crushed stone, slag,recycled concrete and geosynthetic aggregates. In one embodiment, theaggregate may reinforce the structure of the composite material andstrengthen the composite construction material (e.g., concrete 322).

Now refer to FIG. 4 and FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is a graphical process flowdiagram illustrating a method of producing composite constructionmaterial using spray-drying, according to one or more embodiments. Inone embodiment, alkali hydroxide 302 solution that is diluted with waterto form the required concentration may be mixed with sodium silicate 304to form the activator solution 310. In one embodiment, preparation ofthe activator solution 310 is carried out by preparing an alkalihydroxide solution that has a concentration of 6 to 16M by adding waterto it. In one embodiment, sodium hydroxide may be the preferred alkalihydroxide to be used. In one embodiment potassium hydroxide may also beused. In another embodiment, the concentration of the alkali hydroxideis 1.0 to 18M. In said embodiment, water is added to alkali hydroxide toproduce an alkali hydroxide solution in the preferred concentration. Inone embodiment, sodium hydroxide and/or potassium hydroxide may be used,with sodium hydroxide being the alkali hydroxide in a preferredembodiment. In one embodiment, sodium silicate may then be added toalkali hydroxide in a ratio of 0.5 to 3.5.

In one embodiment, clay 308 and a pozzolanic material 306 may be mixedtogether to form a dried powder mixture. In one embodiment, the alkalihydroxide 302 may be one of Lithium hydroxide (LiOH), Sodium hydroxide(NaOH), Potassium hydroxide (KOH), Rubidium hydroxide (RbOH) and/orCaesium hydroxide (CsOH). In one or more embodiments, a sodium silicatemay be sodium metasilicate, Na₂SiO₃. In one or more embodiments, theclay 308 may be a kaolin clay. In one or more embodiments, thepozzolanic material 306 may include a siliceous and/or aluminouschemical substance, and may be highly vitreous. In an exampleembodiment, the pozzolanic material 306 may include a natural pozzolanicmineral, a lava mineral, a basalt, a fly ash, a blast furnace slag, abottom ash, a recycled ash and a ground granulated blast furnace slag,etc. In one or more embodiments, the ratio of the pozzolanic material306 to the alkali hydroxide 302 may range from 1.0 to 3.5. In oneembodiment, the dried powder mixture of clay 308 and a pozzolanicmaterial 306 may be mixed together with the activator solution 310 toform the alumino silicate cementitious material (e.g., geo-polymercement) in the form of a paste 314, such as in operation 312.

In one embodiment, the alumino silicate cementitious material (e.g.,geo-polymer cement) in the form of a paste 314 may be dried through thespray drying process 402 to transform the alumino silicate cementitiousmaterial in the form of a powder 316. In one embodiment, in the spraydrying process 402, the alumino silicate cementitious material in theform of a paste 314 may be sprayed through a nozzle 410 into ahigh-temperature vapor stream. In one embodiment, the alumino silicatecementitious material in the form of a paste 314 may form a plurality ofdroplets. In one embodiment, the plurality of droplets may be dried toform the alumino silicate cementitious material in the form of a powder316 from the alumino silicate cementitious material in the form of apaste 314. The plurality of droplets may be dried at a temperature of40° to 100° Celsius (104° to 212° Fahrenheit).

In one embodiment, a required amount of water 320 may be added to the totransform the alumino silicate cementitious material in the form of apowder 316 along with aggregates and/or plasticizers 318 to create acomposite construction material (e.g., concrete) through curing saidmixture at room temperature and/or by heat curing at a temperature of40° to 120° Celsius (104° to 248° Fahrenheit). In one or moreembodiments, the water 320 may be mixed with the alumino silicatecementitious material in the form of a powder 316 in a ratio rangingfrom 0.3 to 0.65. The cement (the alumino silicate cementitiousmaterial) paste formed through mixing the alumino silicate cementitiousmaterial in the form of a powder 316 with water 320 may serve as abinder, a substance that may set and harden independently and bind othercomponents together. The cement paste may then be mixed with anaggregate and/or plasticizer 318 to form the composite constructionmaterial 322 (e.g., concrete). In one embodiment, the aggregate may be acoarse particulate material, such as sand, gravel, crushed stone, slag,recycled concrete and geosynthetic aggregates. In one embodiment, theaggregate 622 may reinforce the structure of the composite material andstrengthen the concrete 630.

Now refer to FIG. 5 and FIG. 1. FIG. 5 is a table view illustrating theamount of materials for producing a block of composite constructionmaterial, according to one or more embodiments. In one or moreembodiments, the material(s) 502 may be shown with respect to theirweight 516. In one embodiment, the weight may be measured in Kilograms(KG). In one or more embodiments, the fly ash and kaolin 504 may beadded in the amount of 350 to 400 KG. In one or more embodiments, thesodium silicate 506 may be present in the composite constructionmaterial (e.g., concrete) block in the amount of 100 to 150 KG. In oneor more embodiments, sodium hydroxide (NaOH) 508 may be present in thecomposite construction material (e.g., concrete) block in an amount of30 to 60 KG. In one or more embodiments the fine aggregate 510 may bepresent in the range of 500 to 600 KG in the composite constructionmaterial (e.g., concrete) block. In one or more embodiments, coarseaggregate 512 may be present in the range of 1200 to 1400 KG in thecomposite construction material (e.g., concrete) block. In one or moreembodiments, water may be present in the range of 60 to 400 KG in thecomposite construction material (e.g., concrete) block. In oneembodiment, the composite construction material (e.g., concrete) blockmay be cubical. In one embodiment the size of the cubical compositeconstruction material (e.g., concrete) block may be 100×100×100 mm.

Now refer to FIG. 6 and FIG. 1. FIG. 6 is a table illustrating themechanical and physical properties of the composite constructionmaterials, according to one or more embodiments. In an exampleembodiment, the properties 602 may refer to the properties of thecomposite construction material (e.g., concrete) 604 and the lightweight composite construction material (e.g., concrete) 306 as mentionedin FIG. 1. In the embodiment of FIG. 6, the properties 602 illustratedmay include compressive strength 608, density 610, water absorption 612,fire resistance 614, porosity 616, setting time 618 and/or strength gain620.

In an example embodiment, the compressive strength 608 may be measuredby breaking a cylindrical concrete specimen in a compression-testingmachine. In one or more embodiments, the compressive strength 608 of thecomposite construction material (e.g., concrete) 604 may be 15 to 80 MPa(Mega Pascal). The compressive strength of a light weight compositeconstruction material (e.g., concrete) 606 may be 10 to 40 MPa (MegaPascal).

The density of concrete may be a measure of its mass per unit volume. Inone or more embodiments, density 610 of the composite constructionmaterial (e.g., concrete) 604 may be 1800 to 2400 KG/M³. In one or moreembodiments, density of the light weight composite construction material(e.g., concrete) 606 may be 1000 to 1600 KG/M³

Water absorption 612 may be a ratio of the weight of the water absorbedby a composite material to the weight of the dry materials in thecomposite material. In one embodiment, too much water absorption maycause a composite construction material to lose its beneficialproperties, such as strength. In one or more embodiments, the waterabsorption 612 of the composite construction material (e.g., concrete)604 may range between 0.01 to 2.00%. The water absorption 612 of thelight weight composite construction material (e.g., concrete) 606 mayrange between 0.1 to 5.0%.

Fire resistance 614 may be the ability of a composite constructionmaterial to withstand effects of fire. In one or more embodiments, afire resistance 614 capacity of the composite construction material(e.g., concrete) 604 is indicated by the fact that the compositeconstruction material (e.g., concrete) 604 may be stable at temperaturesup to 1000° C. (1832° F.). The fire resistance 614 capacity of the lightweight composite construction material (e.g., concrete) 606 is indicatedby the fact that the light weight composite construction material (e.g.,concrete) 606 may be stable at temperatures up to 1000° C. (1832° F.).In one embodiment, a resistance of the composite construction materialto an acidic environment and/or fire is increased through mixing thealkali hydroxide as activator with the pozzolanic material to form acrystalline alumino silicate cementitious material that is used toproduce the composite construction material.

In one or more embodiments, porosity 616 may be a measure of the voidspaces in a material. Porosity 616 may be expressed as a percentage ofthe volume of voids in a total volume. In one embodiment, porosity 616may be inversely related to concrete strength. High porosity percentagemay make the composite construction material (e.g., concrete) weakerand/or easy to break. The porosity of the composite constructionmaterial (e.g., concrete) 604 may be 0.1 to 0.4%. The porosity of thelight weight composite construction material (e.g., concrete) 606 may be0.1 to 30%.

In one or more embodiments, the required setting time 618 may be thetime it takes the concrete to harden. In one or more embodiments, therequired setting time 618 for the composite construction material (e.g.,concrete) 604 may be 1-2 hours. In one embodiment, the compositeconstruction material (e.g., concrete) 604 may gain full strength in 1-3days. The required setting time 618 for the light weight compositeconstruction material (e.g., concrete) 606 may be between 2 to 4 hours.The light weight composite construction material (e.g., concrete) 606may gain full strength within 1 to 3 days.

FIG. 7 is a process flow diagram illustrating a method of producingcomposite construction material, according to one or more embodiments.In one or more embodiments, in operation 702, a mixture of at least oneof a pozzolanic material and a kaolin clay is provided with an activatorsolution to form an alumino-silicate cementitious material through aresulting geo-polymerization process. In one embodiment, thealumino-silicate cementitious material is in the form of a paste. In oneembodiment, in operation 704, the alumino-silicate cementitious material(e.g., geo-polymer cement) is processed to transform thealumino-silicate cementitious material that is in the form of the pasteto a form of a powder of the alumino-silicate cementitious material(e.g., geo-polymer cement). In one embodiment, in operation 706 thealumino-silicate cementitious material which is in the form of thepowder is mixed with water to control a workability of thealumino-silicate cementitious material. In one embodiment, in operation708, a mixture of the alumino-silicate cementitious material (e.g.,geo-polymer cement) and water is mixed with a coarse aggregate, a fineaggregate and/or a plasticizer to form a composite construction material(e.g., concrete). In one embodiment, the composite construction materialis concrete. In one embodiment, the said method of forming the compositeconstruction material is free of carbon dioxide emission that isassociated with the formation of the composite construction material.

FIG. 8 is a process flow diagram illustrating a method of producingcomposite construction material using a spray drying process, accordingto one or more embodiment. In operation 802 a mixture of at least one ofa pozzolanic material and a kaolin clay is provided with an activatorsolution to form an alumino-silicate cementitious material through aresulting geo-polymerization process. In one embodiment, thealumino-silicate cementitious material is in the form of a paste. In oneembodiment, in operation 804 the alumino-silicate cementitious materialis processed to transform the alumino-silicate cementitious materialthat is in the form of the paste to a form of a powder of thealumino-silicate cementitious material through a process of a spraydrying. In one embodiment, in operation 806 the alumino-silicatecementitious material which is in the form of the powder is mixed withwater to control a workability of the alumino-silicate cementitiousmaterial. In one embodiment, in operation 808 a mixture of thealumino-silicate cementitious material and water is combined with acoarse aggregate, a fine aggregate and/or a plasticizer to form acomposite construction material. In one embodiment, the compositeconstruction material is concrete. In one embodiment, the said method offorming the composite construction material is free of carbon dioxideemission associated with the formation of the composite constructionmaterial.

FIG. 9 is a process flow diagram illustrating a method of producingcomposite construction material using a normal drying process, accordingto one or more embodiment. In one embodiment, in operation 902 a mixtureof at least one of a pozzolanic material and a kaolin clay is providedwith an activator solution to form an alumino-silicate cementitiousmaterial through a resulting geo-polymerization process. In oneembodiment, the alumino-silicate cementitious material is in the form ofa paste. In one embodiment, in operation 904 the alumino-silicatecementitious material that is in the form of a paste is dried at atemperature ranging between 40 C and 100 C through a normal dryingprocess. In one embodiment, in operation 906, the dried alumino-silicatecementitious material is reduced to the form of a powder of thealumino-silicate cementitious material through a grinding and/orpulverizing the dried alumino-silicate cementitious material when thealumino-silicate cementitious material is dried through a normal dryingprocess at a temperature ranging between 40 C and 100 C. In oneembodiment, in operation 908, the alumino-silicate cementitious materialwhich is in the form of the powder is mixed with water to control aworkability of the alumino-silicate cementitious material. In oneembodiment, in operation 910, a mixture of the alumino-silicatecementitious material and water is combined with a coarse aggregate, afine aggregate and/or a plasticizer to form a composite constructionmaterial. In one embodiment, the composite construction material isconcrete. In one embodiment, the method of forming the compositeconstruction material is free of carbon dioxide emission associated withthe formation of the composite construction material.

Although the present embodiments have been described with reference tospecific example embodiments, it will be evident that variousmodification and changes may be made to these embodiments withoutdeparting from the broader spirit and scope of the various embodiments.Accordingly, the specification and drawings are to be regarded in anillustrative rather than a restrictive sense.

What is claimed is:
 1. A composite construction material compositioncomprising: an alumino-silicate cementitious material that is formedthrough mixing a pozzolanic material, kaolin clay and sodium silicate inat least one of a dried and pulverized form in a solution of alkalihydroxide to form the alumino-silicate cementitious material through aprocess of geopolymerization resulting from mixing the pozzolanicmaterial, kaolin clay and sodium silicate in at least one of a dried andpulverized form in a solution of alkali hydroxide; wherein thealumino-silicate cementitious material that is in the form of a paste isprocessed to transform the alumino-silicate cementitious material thatis in the form of a paste to a the form of a powder; water mixed withthe alumino-silicate cementitious material that is in the form of apowder to control a workability of the alumino-silicate cementitiousmaterial; a fine aggregate to increase a compressive strength of thecomposite construction material when mixed with the mixture ofalumino-silicate cementitious material and water; and a coarse aggregateto increase a compressive strength of the composite constructionmaterial when mixed with the mixture of alumino-silicate cementitiousmaterial and water.
 2. The composition of claim 1: wherein a weight ofthe mixture of the pozzolanic material and the kaolin clay that is usedto form the alumino-silicate cementitious material ranges between 350kilograms and 400 kilograms, wherein the weight of the sodium hyroxidethat is used to form the aluminosilicate cementitious material rangesbetween 30 kilograms and 60 kilograms, wherein the weight of the sodiumsilicate that is used to form the alumino-silicate cementitious materialranges between 100 kilograms and 150 kilograms, wherein the weight ofthe fine aggregate used to form the concrete ranges between 500kilograms and 600 kilograms, wherein the weight of the coarse aggregateused to form the concrete ranges between 1200 kilograms and 1400kilograms, and wherein the weight of the water used to form the concreteranges between 60 kilograms and 400 kilograms.
 3. The composition ofclaim 1, further comprising at least one of a plasticizer, a superplasticizer and polymeric additive to make the composite constructionmaterial self-consolidating.
 4. The composition of claim 1: wherein thealumino-silicate cementitious material that is in the form of a paste isdried at a temperature ranging between 40° C. and 100° C. through anormal drying process, and wherein the dried alumino-silicatecementitious material reduced to the powder form through at least one ofa grinding and pulverizing the dried aluminosilicate cementitiousmaterial when the alumino-silicate cementitious material is driedthrough a normal drying process at a temperature ranging between 40° C.and 100° C.
 5. The composition of claim 1: wherein the alumino silicatecementitious material that is in the form of a paste is transformed tothe form of the powder through a spray drying, wherein the aluminosilicate cementitious material that is in the form of a paste is sprayedthrough a nozzle into an environment that has at a temperature rangingbetween 40° C. and 100° C. to transform the alumino silicatecementitious material that is in the form of a paste to the form ofpowder, wherein the environment that has at a temperature rangingbetween 40° C. and 100° C. to which the alumino silicate cementitiousmaterial is sprayed to dry the sprayed alumino silicate cementitiousmaterial, and wherein the density of the composite construction materialformed from the powdered alumino silicate cementitious material that istransformed to the form of powder through at least one of the spraydrying and the normal drying the paste form of the alumino silicatecementitious material is based on the plasticizer that is added to thealumino silicate cementitious material to form the compositeconstruction material.
 6. The composition of claim 1: wherein thecomposite construction material is cured through at least one of acuring process at a room temperature and a heat curing at a temperatureranging between 40° C. and 120° C., wherein a resistance of thecomposite construction material to an acidic environment is increasedthrough mixing the alkali hydroxide as activator with the pozzolanicmaterial to form a crystalline alumino silicate cementitious materialthat is used to produce the composite construction material, wherein thekoalin clay to reinforce a strength of the composite constructionmaterial, and wherein at least one of the fine aggregates and coarseaggregates to increase a compressive strength of the concrete.